- Pradeep Randhawa, Managing Director, and Surinder Koul, DGM-Independent Aftermarket, Mann and Hummel Filter Pvt Ltd With 60 locations globally and 16,000 employees, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MANN+HUMMEL, Germany. A filtration company that offers next generation products that surpass OE specifications, Pradeep Randhawa, Managing Director, and Surinder Koul, DGM-Independent Aftermarket, Mann and Hummel Filter Pvt Ltd, talk about the company´s products and operations. How much do you invest in R&D annually? To remain a market leader, we constantly invest in innovation. A significant part of our growth emanates from these innovative products. Our R&D efforts are mainly to address the challenges faced by the industry. For the fourth time in a row, MANN+HUMMEL is in the top 50 patent applicants in Germany. We spend approximately 4 per cent of the company´s revenue on R&D efforts - over €100 million per year. What factors have helped the company become a distinguished development partner and original equipment supplier to the international automotive and mechanical engineering industries? Our next generation products, the capability to surpass OE specifications, over 50 manufacturing plants with two in India, on-time delivery, agility, state-of-the-art design and advance testing laboratories, even in India, are few of the factors that make us the first choice for OEMs. Introduce us to your product portfolio. We cater to a wide applications such as passenger cars, earthmoving equipment, generators, compressors, trucks and buses. We manufacture products such as complete intake air filtration along with pre-cleaner manifolds, lube and fuel filtration system, cabin filters, hydraulic filters, air oil separators, filters for EDM´s, plate gap filters and systems. What are the value-added services you offer along with the products? In today´s competitive world, we need to offer value along with our products and services. Hence, tech shows for education, products that qualify EURO III norms, adaptability, agility, end-to-end solutions, product design from the end-user perspective are some of the values that we create, which includes reliability and value for money as well. How do you address aspects of respecting people, society and the environment in your activities? We live by our FILTER values that are Focus, Integrity, Leadership, Teamwork, Excellence and Respect. We hold the highest level of respect for our suppliers, customers and the communities where we live. Infact, as part of our CSR activities, we have constructed toilets for a government school and have adopted an orphanage. We make them understand our values and it becomes easy for us to do more. What are the filtration challenges faced? There are challenges with advance engine specs on the roll. The expectations from the fuel quality has risen, which is still a challenge. Compact designs is compelling the industry to look for alternative raw materials. There is lack of awareness among the end-user about the quality of filters, filter maintenance along with demand for extremely long services, unrecognised sectors popping up only to make quick bucks, to name a few. From the product perspective, all our products confirm to EURO V norms, and we have raised the bar with extremely new and compact filter systems and designs. What were the sales recorded in 2014-15? What are your expectations in 2015-16? Worldwide, MANN+HUMMEL is growing organically and through acquisitions. In the fiscal 2014, our sales reached Ç2.8 billion. Further, in August this year, we entered into a binding merger agreement with Affinia Group, the maker of the renowned Wix and Filtron filter brands. Globally, we are working hard to surpass €5 billion by 2022. And, in India, our growth has been significant over the past three to four years, and we are now preparing the ground work for our third production site. (Communication by the management of the company)